The Angels Can Wait
by angel-death-dealer
Summary: Tony saves Ziva's life, maybe at the cost of his own. She knows she should be at his side, as does everyone else, but she can't go to him even when he calls for her. Will she go to him and make everything right? Tony/Ziva.
1. Chapter 1

_**Hi all, this doesn't really have a timeframe, it's just something that toxic-beetle and I came up with in Bristol. It was going to be a little one shot, maybe a bit of fluff, tiny bit of angst, but an hour of planning (and walking) later, with heavy shopping bags, we'd planned lots of angst, some shouting, some disagreements, and most importantly, there is some fluff in here (because, let's face it, this is me and i'm a fluff addict)...so what I'm trying to say in a very long winded way is that walking through Bristol town centre discussing shooting Tony and how that could possibly be used as an advantage to tiva is something you can only do with your greatest friend. Emmz, I love you, and this is the second story to be posted thanks to a week at your house!**_

_**Oh, and the lyrics used are LeAnn Rimes - Break Me Down**_

**Chapter One: Break Me Down**

_Give me a moment here,_

_Just enough to catch my breath_

It was raining. No, scratch that. It wasn't raining. There was no way this could be a simple rainstorm. No, the weather reporter had definitely gotten it wrong. She was soaked to the bone, exhausted, and pretty sure that she was slowly freezing to death up on the rooftop. It didn't help that there was an icy wind accompanying the even colder rain, but that was just one of the reasons why she'd never trust the weather predictions again. She never usually bothered with them, because rain or shine they'd up up with a body; usually inside if the weather was stifling hot or outside if it was like Dante's circles of hell freezing over. Today, she hadn't had a choice because the television behind Tony's desk was playing nothing but the weather channel which boasted high temperatures and clouded skies. Liar. She would hunt down that weather reporter and make him suffer.

"This is a really bad idea," Tony grumbed from behind her.

"It is the only idea," she pointed out over her shoulder.

"That doesn't mean it isn't bad."

"Stop complaining," she snapped.

He didn't, he just complained quieter so that she couldn't hear him over the wind and the rain. With nothing but their hats and jackets to protect them from the weather, she could see exactly why he thought this was a bad idea. Then again, anything other than curling up with a good book, in the warm, with a hot chocolate and five million layers of clothing seemed like a bad idea. It was only midday and she'd already had enough and wanted to go home. That never usually happened unless they'd worked for over twelve hours or if a case was really getting to her. This wasn't one of those times. But she was cold, and exhausted...she just wanted to get the job done and go home...

"Ziva, _stop_!"

Tony's hissed call just about reached her on the rooftop. She froze, looking at what was before her. There was a gap in the rooftop about twenty feet ahead of them, one that they needed to get through and quickly. If they didn't get through, their plan would fail. They needed to get into position for a major drug bust, one that was already dangerous enough without taking into account the weather. On top of that, the only way to get any closer to the gap was to walk across a metal scaffolding pole. Regardless of the danger, she couldn't have gotten any closer without taking that way across, so she stepped forward towards it.

_Something is happening here_

_And it's scaring me to death_

Tony grabbed her arm, hoisting her back rather roughly. "Are you crazy?" he asked her.

"It is the only way across," she pointed out.

"If you fall-"

"I will not fall," she assured him quickly. "I can hold on to the pole above to steady myself."

He looked at her for a moment, then at their situation. Gibbs and McGee were waiting at the side entrance on the other side, on ground level. If they didn't get through the gap and onto the walkway above the marines they were busting, and soon, they'd lose them. Ziva was right, it was the only way, but that didn't mean he had to like it. He sighed, but the sound was lost in the storm. "Just...be careful," he told her. It was almost a tender moment until he collected himself, realising what he'd just said, and added: "I don't want to have to explain to Gibbs why you're a broken puddle of mush on the floor."

_You push me to the edge_

_Where I want to risk it all again_

She shook her head, saying nothing as she broke away from his grasp and headed towards the scaffolding pole. She made sure that her grip was stead on the pole above every time she moved her feet along the bottom pole. The wind was getting stronger here, higher up with nothing to shield them from the blast. Each gust of wind made it harder to hold on to the pole, which was dangerously slippery from the rain. Every time she moved her limbs she realised how cold she was. The warm vision of her living room, central heating and hot chocolate filled her mind again, and she promised herself to make it a reality before the day was through.

Her distraction meant that she wasn't prepared for a gust of wind that threw her balance off, causing one foot to slip from the pole completely. As she struggled to regain her footing as well as not slipping from the pole she was clinging to, she heard Tony's cry of her name. She looked up momentarily to see him starting out onto the same scaffolding, trying to reach her and help her regain her balance, but just as he reached her she fell completely, plummeting through the ceiling of the small warehouse.

_For the first time in a long time_

_I'm throwing caution to the wind_

Rather terrifyingly, she found herself in the middle of the drugs deal they were supposed to break up. Eleven shady-looking men, three of whom she recognised from their research on the case as being Petty Officers Miles, Dawson and Brinkly, looked down at her. Instinct took over, reaching for her weapon as she struggled to her feet. It wasn't working, though. Her ankle had been injured; a bad sprain her first impression from the pain that shot through her foot. It was a wonder that it wasn't broken considering it had taken the full force of her landing. She was confined to the ground, one leg limp and useless beneath her and her weapon in her hand. Unfortunately, her sig seemed insignificant to the eleven other weapons now aimed at her. The NCIS hat and jacket were an immediate disadvantage, as the men now knew they had been rumbled.

One of them, the main dealer she knew to be Kevin Ford, grabbed her by the collar, dragging her across the ground into the centre of the warehouse. He hoisted her to her feet, and she did all she could to stand on her own weight with her injured door. It was agonisingly hard but she managed it, trying to focus on the other pains instead of the one that would need medical attention; namely the warmth that was painfully returning to her frozen limbs or the way that her hair was being pulled because of the awkward, yet strong, grip that Ford had on her collar. "Where are the other agents?" he asked her, putting his gun to her throat as Petty Officer Dawson took her weapon from her. Her hands were so frozen that she barely felt it.

She said nothing in answer to his question.

_You can break me down_

_If you want to break me down_

"NCIS, drop your weapons!"

She wasn't sure whether she was glad or disappointed to hear Tony's voice. She was glad that he had played his part of her partner well, and watched her six, and it was a relief that he hadn't found himself in the same predicament that she was in. However, she suspected that he, too, would be parted from his weapon. Ten of the guns in the warehouse were now aimed at him, with Ford's weapon still pressed against the underside of her throat. You didn't need to be a ballistics expert or a doctor to know how much damage that one bullet would do, and it certainly wouldn't be reversible.

"Drop your weapons," Tony ordered again. "Put them down on the ground."

"You're outnumbered," Ford pointed out. "We'll be the ones giving the orders."

_Doesn't really matter how this crazy thing turns out_

"This building is surrounded by federal agents," Tony lied. "Surrender your weapons now and you'll only be arrested instead of shot."

None of them put their weapons down, but several of them hesitated; particularly the Petty Officers.

"Officer David," Tony asked professionally. "Are you injured?"

_'Cause you take me there_

_Where I lose myself_

She said nothing because of the gun against her throat, but she found it being pressed harder against her for a moment. "Answer him," Ford snarled.

"Yes," she nodded. "Not badly."

_Just for a moment, if nothing else_

Tony turned back to the others, but Ziva noticed the flicker of concern that crossed his eyes when she confirmed being injured. "This is your last chance. Release her."

_You can break me down if you want to break me down_

Again, nobody moved. Tony raised one hand, bringing his cuff up to his mouth so he could speak into the microphone. Gibbs would know this was an act, but it would hopefully be enough to convince Ford to release Ziva. "This is Tango-Eight, we have a hostage situation involving a federal agent. Do we have sniper visual?"

No reply came, but at least Gibbs would have heard what was happening from his position. It also successfully unnerved nearly all the men who surrounded Ziva. "Whoa, hold on a sec-"

_Yeah, it's the strangest thing but it all makes perfect sense_

"I'll call off the sniper unit," Tony told them, "if you release Officer David. Put all your weapons down and let her walk to me." He knew that the footsteps approaching him from behind were those of McGee and Gibbs, mainly because he received no warning gaze from Ziva, and she actually looked a little relieved when she glanced either side of him.

"And our arrests?" Ford asked him.

"Oh, you'll be arrested," Gibbs announced.

_Funny how life falls into place when you dare to take a chance_

Ford grinned back. "Then maybe I don't wanna let her go," he taunted, pressing the end of the gun closer into her skin, so much that she winced.

_You push me to the edge where I want to risk it all again_

There were more negotiations exchanged between Ford and Gibbs, but Ziva kept her eyes trained on Tony. The plan remained the same, that she was going to be released and as soon as she felt herself free she would walk directly to him. She had done this before when suspects had naturally decided to use the female team member as a hostage. She knew the drill all too well; keep your eyes on your partner, walk straight to him, don't look back until you're behind him with another weapon in your hands. In moments, the hands around her disappeared and the gun dropped. She immediately stumbled, her ankle groaning in pain beneath her. Tony took a step forward because of this, still keeping his gun trained over her shoulder at Ford even though his eyes remained on Ziva. She sucked up the pain, taking shaky steps forward. As soon as she was in front of him he used one arm to protectively push her behind him, holding her in place for a moment before letting his arm drop. She didn't mind the rather chauvinistic act of male dominant protection because she knew it wasn't about that; it was about putting her where his spare weapon was.

_So take me where you want to_

_I am willing to give in_

In hindsight, it was strange how easy things became. Four guns to eleven, none of whom resisted until it came to Ford. All of the men lay on the fronts on the ground, their arms above their heads as they waited to be cuffed by McGee and Gibbs. Tony and Ziva stood to the side, their weapons trained on them so that none of them tried to make a run for it. The whole time, Ford glared at the two of them. Ziva had allowed herself to lean on her partner partially, taking the weight off of her injured foot. They were still waiting for another escort unit to arrive to take all the men into custody. It was then, when McGee and Gibbs were cuffing Petty Officer Brinkly, that Tony heard the sound of metal scratching along the ground. He whipped his head around, seeing that Ford had found his weapon, aiming it directly at the back of Ziva's head. Instinct took over, and he pushed her down to the ground.

A gunshot rang out through the building. Then several more.

Ziva groaned as she hit the ground, her ankle taking the weight once again. Pain shot through her, causing her to physically cry out. She waited on the ground for a moment, deciding that moving her ankle was probably unadvised. She was about to turn and hurt Tony for throwing her to the ground when he knew she was already injured, but then there were voices behind her.

"Stay there, try not to move-"

"McGee, put more pressure on it. EMT's are on the way."

There was McGee's voice...and Gibbs...and then...

"_Ziva_..."

It wasn't his voice, she tried to tell herself as she sat on the ground. His voice was full of laughter. His voice was full of jokes, and sarcasm and inappropriate comments. His voice wasn't a harsh, coughing gag that struggled her name out.

_You can break me down if you want to break me down_

"Ziva..."

"Ziva's fine," she heard Gibbs say.

"No, she's hurt-"

"DiNozzo, _stop _moving!" Gibbs told him forcefully.

That confirmed it. The first gunshot wasn't the one that had hit Ford. The following bullets were the ones that had killed Ford. She'd been thrown to the ground for a reason. A bullet meant for her. A bullet that was supposed to hit her. It hadn't. It had hit someone else. Someone who didn't deserve it. She turned her head over her shoulder, knowing that her leg was useless now and that she couldn't move. Lying on the ground, squirming in pain, was Tony. Blood had already pooled around him even though McGee was knelt beside him, trying to staunch the bleeding with his jacket. Gibbs was gone, as were the men that they'd arrested. She'd been pushed to the ground - by Tony. Tony had taken her out of the bullet's path, placing himself in it. Tony had saved her life. Sacrificed herself. Tony had been shot. Because of her.

_Doesn't really matter how this crazy thing turns out_

"No..." she whispered, unable to move, but more because of the shock now than the pain.

"Where's Ziva?" Tony choked out, his voice already strained from the pain.

"Tony, stay still!" McGee told him.

"Where is she?"

"She's right here...right, Ziva?" McGee looked up at her, but she was frozen in place, staring at her partner. This was her fault. If it wasn't for her, he wouldn't have a bullet in him. What if it was a deep wound? What if the bullet had his something vital? What if the EMT's didn't get there in time? What if he- "_Ziva_!" McGee called, trying to get her attention.

"Tony," she murmured, but neither of them heard her.

Tony reached out one arm, grabbing hold of McGee's jacket. "Probie," he struggled, worryingly weak.

"Don't talk, Tony, just stay still-"

"She's hurt," he coughed. "She's hurt. She _told _me she was hurt-"

"She's fine," McGee assured him.

"Where is she?" he asked again.

"She's right here," he repeated.

_'Cause you take me there_

Tony turned his head from side to side, looking around desperately and settling when he saw Ziva on his right about six feet away from him. He watched her with pained eyes, his face screwed up against the agony he felt. She found that she couldn't take her eyes off of him, but at the same time she couldn't get up and move to his side. She knew that he wanted her there, where McGee was, because he had released his hold on McGee and extended his arm over to her, letting it fall against the concrete when she didn't move. His eyes didn't leave hers. "_Zi_..." Usually, this made her smile. Somehow, he'd given her the nickname and it had stuck. No one else called her that, as it had become an unspoken rule that only Tony could call her that, but this wasn't a time for messing around and nicknames. This was serious now. She could see it in his eyes. He was scared. "Ziva-" he muttered, before throwing his head back against the concrete ground, crying out loudly from the pain in a way that didn't seem to suit him.

_Where I lose myself_

She inhaled shaky breaths, ashamed that what kept her from his side wasn't the pain in her ankle but the guilt that now flooded through her, numbing the ache in her muscles. She turned away from the scene, looking down at the ground so that it was only the sounds from behind her that continued to haunt her. She listened as McGee tried to get Tony to relax, to keep taking deep breaths even though he was going against it, holding his breath in a futile attempt to keep the pain under control. Every few seconds he would groan, sometimes weakly, but of the time in a sharp, agonising pain that made her shut her eyes tightly. Then, she could hear him struggling, McGee trying to calm him and repeating his name over and over. His groans became sickening gasps, his body desperate for air that he couldn't seem to find. The sound chilled her, but she still couldn't move. Shame rooted her to the spot. Her partner was injured, struggling for breath, and he was still only concerned about her. He could barely breathe, and she was too filled with guilt knowing that bullet was meant for her to go to his side. She knew how simple it would be to calm him, just enough for him to stop squirming around, trying to find her. She knew she could stop that just by being at his side so he could see her, but she couldn't move.

_Just for a moment, if nothing else_

"Tony. _Tony_, stop moving!"

"Ziva-"

"She's _fine_, Tony, just calm down. EMT's are almost here. You're gonna be fine."

She'd been responsible for many deaths over the years; deaths of people who deserved to be removed from life and deaths of those who didn't. Those who didn't, the innocents that shouldn't have been in the wrong place at the wrong time, used to haunt her when she closed her eyes at night, when she thought she'd left the day behind for a few short hours of rest. It had taken her many years to accept that sometimes, people would be killed as a result of her actions. It had taken her even longer to accept that this was all part of the greater good. She had done terrible things, unquestionably wrong things, but this...this was so much worse.

_You can break me down if you want to break me down_

Tony cried out behind her again. His cry was definitely filled with more pain each time it escaped him, something he wasn't trying to fight anymore, but at the same time it sounded weaker. As one particular cry ended in a pitiful whimper, Ziva hung her head. They had been through a lot over the years they had worked together, but she had never, not once, heard Tony sound afraid before. Over the sound of the sirens outside, signalling the EMT's arrival, she found that the voice in the back of her head didn't belong to her, but instead to Tony.

_This was your fault._

**Please read and review! I've gotta say, I love Tony and Ziva...but I have no trouble torturing them for the sake of a four chaptered story? Is that wrong?**


	2. Chapter 2

**All I can say is wow...I really didn't expect that kind of response! Thank you all so much for your comments, they really made my day in a really bad week, you're all brilliant. So, on this wonderful friday evening, I present to you the second chapter of four! The song in this chapter is Avril Lavigne - Why. I hope you all enjoy it and please continue to review! More reviews mean faster updates hint hint**

**Chapter Two: Why**

_Why do you always do this to me?_

_Why couldn't you just see through me?_

"You'll be fine, Officer David. It's just a simple sprain. Keep off of it for a few days and apply ice as often as you feel you need to," the doctor told her. She nodded numbly, slipping from the observation table she was perched on, still holding onto it to ensure that the painkillers were properly working before she placed her full weight on her ankle. Things had moved quickly since the EMT's had arrived at the warehouse. Another escort van had arrived at the same time, taking the rest of the men into custody, so Gibbs had come back into the warehouse when they did. He'd been shocked to find his senior field agent still bleeding painfully on the ground whilst the agent in questions' partner was slumped only feet away with her back turned on him. Ziva hadn't even been able to look Gibbs in the eye when he'd helped her into the second ambulance. She made no fight to go in the same ambulance as Tony. She made no attempt to argue with the paramedics that took him. She allowed him to be taken from the building, knowing that the doctors at Bethesda could at least try to reverse the damage to his body that was meant for hers.

_How come you act like this_

_Like you don't care at all?_

Ducky was in the doorway, she noticed, waiting for her. He'd been called on her way into the hospital so that he knew Tony had been shot. He and Abby had arrived at the hospital just as they had done, and while the others all waited with bated breath for any news on Tony's condition, Ducky had accompanied Ziva; if only to ensure that she would follow all medical advice she was given. She was never one for painkillers and rest, but if was here to hear the prognosis she'd have to take it. As soon as the doctor left them alone in the room, Ducky spoke up.

"Anthony's been taken into surgery."

_Do you expect me to believe I was the only one to fall?_

She stopped from where she had been hobbling across the room to him. She remained silent, diverting her eyes straight away. She hadn't even asked about his condition.

_I could feel, I could feel you near me_

_Even though you're far away_

_I could feel, I could feel you baby_

_Why_

"The bullet clipped the side of his chest," Ducky continued. "A through-and-through chest wound, missing all vital organs except his lungs." Ziva cringed, knowing that his lungs were in a bad condition through his encounter with the Y. Pestis anyway. "As far as damage goes it could have been significantly worse, but some blood entered his lungs, which is why he was coughing so much blood up when Timothy was with him."

When Tim was with him, she repeated in her head. When you weren't. When you were supposed to be.

_It's not supposed to feel this way_

_I need you, I need you_

_More and more each day_

Ducky frowned, stepping further into the room. "My dear, you're awfully pale."

"I am fine," she insisted.

_It's not supposed to hurt this way,_

_I need you, I need you, I need you  
_

"Sit down," he instructed her. She returned to the examination table, sitting on the edge once again. She'd been given a thick blanket to wrap around her over the hospital attire, seeing as the clothes she'd worn into the warehouse were soaked through. It made her look like a small child, with her head hung before Ducky as though he were about to scold her. "What happened in there, Ziva?" he asked her.

_Tell me, are you and me still together?_

_Tell me, do you think we could last forever?_

_Tell me why._

She looked up, a little surprised. It was the first time anyone had asked her that. No one had questioned it, not even Gibbs and McGee. They hadn't seen what Tony did for her. "I slipped through the roof," she told him quietly.

"That explains your sprained ankle," he nodded. "As for the events which lead to Anthony being shot, we are all a bit hazy."

_Hey, listen to what we're not saying_

_Let's play a different game than what we're playing_

She looked away again. "I was captured," she explained. "Tony came in and tried to get them to release me. When the others arrived as back up they allowed me to walk to him. He made me stay at his side after, even when we were arresting everyone. I do not know how it happened, but he pushed me to the ground and there was a gunshot. When I turned, McGee was kneeling over him and he was..." she broke off. "He took a bullet for me, Ducky, and now he is in surgery," she whispered. "This was not meant for him."

_Try to look at me and really see my heart_

She had expected him to turn and leave, disgusted at her actions, especially when she continued and told him how she had been unable to go to his side even though he was asking for her. But instead, he was comforting her. She didn't fight the arms that wrapped around her, patting her back in the reassuring way that Ducky often did to Abby, assuring him that Tony was strong and that he would pull through. He stayed, she wasn't sure for how long, but she couldn't listen to his words. She couldn't believe them. It was supposed to be a kill shot, and he had taken it for her. Tony had saved her life.

Maybe at the cost of his own.

_Do you expect me to believe I'm gonna let us fall apart?_

--

Gibbs, McGee and Abby all sat outside the Emergency Room in the corridor. Gibbs was sat impatiently with a coffee, as was McGee. McGee wasn't drinking from his cup as rapidly as Gibbs, though, rather just staring into it. Abby was pacing up and down, and both men had tried to get her to relax and sit and hope for the best, but she refused. Gibbs, on the other hand, continued to stare at the doors opposite him, doors which, for the moment, no amount of clearance would get him through. When they had first arrived in the emergency room, Tony had been unconscious, but by the time Abby and Ducky had arrived they had began their initial examination, involving the prodding and poking that came before any emergency treatment. Unfortunately Tony had begun to regain consciousness at this point, unaware of where he was or what was happening, but still groaning in pain from the severe gunshot wound.

_I could feel, I could feel you near me_

_Even when you're far away_

_I could feel, I could feel you, baby_

_Why_

His teammates waited outside, in just as much agony as he was. It was hard to sit there and listen to him in so much pain, but at least they knew he was alive for the moment. It was just as hard to know they couldn't do anything about it. McGee still had Tony's blood on his shirt even though Gibbs had ordered him into the restrooms to wash it from his hands and face. Gibbs suspected this was the reason why Abby hadn't bombarded him with a hug as she usually did. She'd come running up to them, hugging Gibbs as usual, but when she noticed McGee, covered in Tony's blood, she'd simply stared at the crimson marks on his white shirt.

It was a full ten minutes before they gave him an anaesthetic and took him into surgery. One of the doctors came out halfway through and asked for Gibbs to get hold of any of Tony's medical records. It was only then that Gibbs stood from his seat, going in search of Ducky. Ducky would know best about Tony's medical records. He headed towards the examination where Ziva was, knowing that this was where he would be, but when he got there he was shocked to find Ducky sitting outside, very much alone.

_It's not supposed to feel this way_

_I need you, I need you_

_More and more each day_

"Duck,"

"Ah, Jethro," Ducky greeted, standing up to meet him. "Any news on Anthony?"

"Still in surgery. You have access to his medical records?"

Ducky nodded. "Of course. I assume they want copies?"

"Yeah, as soon as possible."

Again, Ducky nodded. "I'll go back and see to it now," he said dutifully.

_It's not supposed to hurt this way_

_I need you, I need you, I need you_

Heading down the corridor, he only turned when Gibbs called him back. "Duck?"

"Yes, Jethro?"

"Where's Ziva?"

Ducky took a breaht, almost hesitant to tell Gibbs. "She signed her release papers twenty minutes ago. She's gone."

"Gone where?"

"She wouldn't tell me. She just said that she couldn't stay."

As Ducky disappeared, Gibbs sighed.

_Tell me, are you and me still together?_

_Tell me you think we could last forever?_

_Tell me why_

--

S_o go ahead and think about whatever you need to think about_

An hour later, Ducky returned with a full copy of Tony's medical record. Gibbs, McGee and Abby had been moved into the family room by then, behind shown there when Abby had kicked off a fuss about not being told more about his condition. Ziva still hadn't been found. Her cell phone was switched off, she wasn't back at headquarters or at her home, and nobody had heard from her. Only McGee understood why she wasn't there, because only he had seen the look in her eyes when Tony had reached out for her and she'd been unable to move. He said nothing, however, as he knew Ziva would never forgive him if he told everyone that she was scared, and had run because of it.

_Go ahead and dream about whatever you need to dream about_

Eventually, after what seemed like forever, a doctor appeared. It was the same one who's care Tony had been placed in when he first arrived at the hospital. They were all on their feet within seconds, wasting to time in bombarding him with questions. "Agent DiNozzo will be fine," the doctor assured them. "The bullet wound is not our main concern at the moment, however. His previous medical history shows he is susceptible to pneumonia, and the shock of the gunshot wound combined with weather exposure has us worried about his fever. We'll run him on antibiotics overnight and the fever should have dropped by morning."

_And come back to me when you know just how you feel, you feel_

"So he's okay?" Abby asked fretfully.

"For his fever to drop he needs to remain calm. For the moment he's still under anaesthesia, but when they wears off he'll need to be kept calm. So there'll be no more than two visitors at a time, and I have to ask that noise and interaction is kept to a minimum."

_I could feel, I could feel you near me, even though you're far away_

They nodded, knowing that his immune system might not be able to handle another bout of pneumonia.

_I could feel, I could feel you baby_

_Why_

--

_It's not supposed to feel this way,_

_I need you, I need you_

_More and more each day_

Tony's anaesthesia wore off quicker than the doctors expected. From the second his eyelids parted he was shaking, the fever chilling him even though sweat was pouring from his forehead. Gibbs was at his side, as was Abby. McGee had gone home to shower and change out of the bloodied clothes so it was just the two of them. They tried to keep him as calm as possible, as the doctor had recommended, but that was hard to do when Tony only had one thing on his mind.

"_Ziva_..." he murmured feverishly.

"She's fine, Tony," Gibbs told him softly.

"_Ziva_..."

"Ziva's fine," Gibbs repeated.

_It's not supposed to hurt this way_

_I need you, I need you, I need you_

_Tell me_

But all he could do was ask for Ziva. He repeated her name over and over, so much so that Gibbs wasn't sure Tony was aware that he was telling him she was okay. At one point, the doctor came in to check on him, and was disturbed by Tony's condition.

"He needs to relax," he said. "If he doesn't relax soon, we'll have to sedate him, and I didn't want it to come to that with his fever."

Gibbs sighed for a moment. Abby looked from Tony to Gibbs. "Where's Ziva?" she asked.

_It's not supposed to hurt this way_

_I need you, I need you_

_More and more each day_

"_Ziva_..." Tony muttered again.

"I don't know, Abby," Gibbs told her.

"_Ziva_..."

_It's not supposed to hurt this way,_

_I need you, I need you, I need you_

"Gibbs, he _needs _her!" Abby argued. "_Look _at him! If he knew she was here he wouldn't be like this! We have to find her."

_Tell me, are you and me still together?_

_Tell me, do you think we could last forever?_

_Tell me._


	3. Chapter 3

_**Hi guys. Chapter three is here! The lyrics used in this chapter are Joshua Kadison - Wild Angel.**_

**Chapter Three: Wild Angel**

_Didn't anyone ever tell you that you're made of stars?_

_Didn't anyone ever tell you how wonderful you are?_

Ziva wasn't aware that anyone was with her until they were sitting directly before her. When she had signed her discharge papers she had come straight down to the cafeteria. She hadn't lied when she told Ducky she couldn't stay, but when she got to the hospital lobby she'd found that she couldn't set foot outside the doors. Knowing that he was in surgery made it impossible for her to leave until she knew better news of his condition. Instead, cold, tired, and hungry on top of her guilt, she'd come down to the hospital cafeteria. She'd been surprised to find it empty, even in the middle of the afternoon. It had filled up around dinner time, but when the evening set in it emptied again. Visiting hours were long over, but still, she suspected Tony was in surgery. She had no money on her to buy anything, but one of the day workers had noticed how long she'd been sat there and had taken pity, taking over a round of toast and some coffee to her. Ziva had thanked you, but had been unable to take more than one bite of toast before guilt threatened to sicken her.

_Didn't anyone ever look in your eyes and see the whole world spinning around, spinning around?_

And then, someone was with her. A chair opposite her was scraped backwards across the ground and was then filled by someone. Someone familiar. Someone she didn't want to face. Someone that made her look down into her coffee so she didn't have to look into their eyes.

"Why are you down here?"

She was silent. She had no answer to that question.

"I asked you a question."

Ziva looked up, meeting a pair of broken eyes. "I do not know," she shook her head.

_Strange days we're living in_

_Sometimes it seems the signal's getting low_

"You're scared, aren't you?"

She was silent for a moment, looking down at her untouched coffee again. "This is not about fear-"

"Then what _is _it about, Ziva?" her companion snapped. "What is _so _important that you're not where you _should _be?"

_Keep picking up waves of love _

_On your human radio_

It had been a long time since Abby had lost her temper with her, she realised. Not since Gibbs had been in the explosion. That had been for similar reasons to her anger now, really. Tony was in the hospital this time, and still, it didn't look like she was taking this seriously. She was, though. That's why this time she'd been unable to leave the hospital even though she had been discharged hours ago. Even though she hated hospitals, she couldn't go home until she knew. She'd rather be nearby if...if something happened, than be at home and be too far, too late. She knew that she wasn't going to forget this feeling for the rest of her life. Without a doubt, Tony's actions had proved something; that he cared about her. Only the night before they'd been in a bar, neither of them there for the alcohol but more for the company, talking about relationships, and how they were too screwed up for other people. It wasn't really mentioned in detail, but Tony assured her that men, in general, were dicks, and that he wouldn't dare treat her like her most recent date did. She wasn't sure at the time whether this was because he was afraid of what she'd do to him if he did, or because he really cared, but now, after her had took a bullet for her, she was leaning more towards the caring...especially on her own part.

_Wild angel_

_Don't you think it's time now?_

"That bullet was not meant for him, Abby," Ziva whispered. "It should not have been him."

"But it _was_," Abby pointed out. "Ducky told us what happened. What you told him."

Ziva sighed. "I assumed he would have by now."

"Why are you beating yourself up so much about this?" Abby asked her, but her tone wasn't caring, it was scolding.

_Wild angel_

_Don't you think it's time now?_

"It was supposed to be _me_," Ziva stressed. "He should not have taken the bullet."

"And then you'd be dead," Abby said bluntly.

She chewed on the inside of her mouth, composing herself against Abby's bluntness. "It should not have been him," she repeated simply.

"Okay, let's look at this another way," Abby told her. "Say it _was _you that took the bullet. Say you were standing right next to him, and he hadn't pushed you out of the way. Say you took that bullet and you were the one in surgery for five hours. Say it was you. Where do you think Tony would be right now if it _was _you?"

_Don't you think it's time now to love yourself?_

--

"_Ziva_..."

Gibbs sighed, using a damp washcloth provided by a nurse to try and lower Tony's fever. Abby had set out to find Ziva a while ago and hadn't returned since. The doctors were checking every five minutes now, under orders to sedate him the second his fever spiked more or if he didn't settle within the hour. This worried them all. He couldn't be sedated in his condition. He needed to be in a natural sleep. He needed to calm down. He needed his partner.

"She's coming, Tony," Gibbs said simply. "Abby's gone to find her."

"_Ziva_..."

"She's coming."

--

Ziva remained silent for a long while after Abby's hypothetical situation. She didn't understand why she was sitting in the cafeteria. Why couldn't she understand how hard it would be for her to see another partner in that state? Every time she had to look at one more partner in a hospital room, a beeping monitor the only indication that they were still alive, was one step closer to an increasinly inevitable downfall. With Tony, this was even worse. Tony was more than just a partner. Whether it was friendship or something more, she wasn't sure, but there was something with him that she'd never had from a partner before.

_Didn't anyone ever tell you that you're made of space?_

"I cannot, Abby," she said simply, shaking her head.

"You can't what?"

"He is my partner," she pointed out. "I cannot lose him."

"I think it's pretty clear he didn't want to lose you either," Abby said, her voice gentler now. "He _did _save your life."

"I know," she whispered.

_Didn't anyone ever tell you that you're filled with grace?_

Abby looked at her, taking in the dark hair that was unruly and wild from the horrendous weather outside. She hadn't made any effort to tame it, and was still clutching the hospital blanket around her shoulders for extra warmth. Goosebumps littered the skin on her arms, and every now and again she shivered despite herself. Her face was pale and pasty, and her eyes were red in a way that suggested she was taking this much harder than the rest of them. Abby lowered her voice.

"Ziva..."

"He is out of surgery, yes?" she cut her off.

Abby nodded. "Yeah, he's out."

_Didn't anybody ever sing in your ear,_

_The sweet sounding song of yourself,_

_Song of yourself?_

Ziva was silent for a moment. "How is he?"

"You could always go and see for yourself," Abby snapped momentarily. Ziva raised her eyes, showing her the red in them again and Abby continued. "The bullet wound isn't what's worrying them. It's his fever. If they can't get the fever down by tomorrow then that's bad news. But the fever won't go down until he's relaxed, and he's definitely _not _relaxed."

"Why not?" Ziva asked, her worry increasing.

"Because you're not there," Abby said simply. Ziva looked confused. "The second he came round he started saying your name. It's all he's saying, and he keeps getting really adgitated. If he doesn't calm down soon they're going to sedate him, and they don't really want it to come to that," she explained. "We think if _you're _there, he'll calm down."

_Strange days we're living in_

_Sometimes it seems like the signal's getting low_

Ziva was torn. Tony was asking for her, and her being near him would calm him. She knew it for sure, remembering how he had looked at her in the warehouse, extending his arm over. She hadn't been able to go to him then. She couldn't now either. "I have lost many partners, Abby," she told her. "I have lost too many partners to bullets."

"So has Tony," she reminded her. "That's why he couldn't let you go too." Abby stood up. "Look, Tony's lying up there, half conscious, _begging _Gibbs for you. All he wants right now is _you_. If you're going to sit her and wallow in self pity when you know full well whats happening to him, then that's on you. I know one thing, though," she said, looking down at Ziva with disappointment. "If it were you up there, he wouldn't have left your side for a second."

_Keep on picking up waves of love_

_On your human radio_

--

She stood outside room 215, a thumping her chest that increased with every second. She felt like a child again, back before she had learned to accept confrontations and pain. She moved towards the door handle, yet when she pushed open the door, she could do little more than stand there and watch what was happening before her. Even though the room was large, there was a lot of space taken up by various machines, yet she was drawn immediately to the figure lying in the bed. Tony was thrashing his head on the pillow every few seconds, murmering a single word over and over again.

"_Ziva_..."

She looked away. A burning sensation behind her eyes casued her to blink rapidly, and it was soon followed by a thick lump choking up her throat. He was in this condition because of her. If he hadn't taken the bullet for her he'd be fine. She'd never felt so helpless, yet so to blame. She didn't care how much anyone tried to assure her that he'd risk his life to any of his teammates, if she'd been paying more attention to the situation rather than her own pain, he would be okay.

After a while, she wasn't sure how long, a heavy hand came down upon her shoulder. She didn't have to turn to know who it was, but she did anyway to take her eyes away from Tony's feverish mumbling. Gibbs was staring down at her. "He needs you, Ziva," he said softly.

_Wild angel_

_Don't you think it's time now?_

"This was my fault," she choked out.

"He's your partner," Gibbs remind her. "Like it or not, he's always going to protect you. Go and be with him."

She nodded numbly, stepping up to his side, rather awkwardly moving because of her ankle. She didn't sit down in the chair, rather she hovered over him, watching for a second. In a child-like way, she expected him to open his eyes and give her a stupid movie reference, then tell her that she worried too much. He didn't though. "_Ziva_..." he murmered again, thrashing his head to the opposite side of the pillow.

"Tony..."

Hearing her voice, he frowned. "_Ziva_..."

"Shh," she hushed, placing her hand on his cheek softly.

He turned his head towards the touch. "_Ziva_?" he whispered, more of a question this time, one hand coming over and grasping her arm.

She nodded, even though his eyes were closed. "Yes, Tony. I am here."

"_Ziva_," he whispered breathlessly, a sigh settling on his lips as he took several controlling breaths. "_Ziva_."

_Wild angel,_

_Don't you think it's time now?_

She leaned down, placing her lips against his forehead. The feverish skin concerned her, but she was more at ease when she felt him relax under her touch. She let her lips linger there for a long time, regardless of the fact that all of her teammates were now gathered outside, watching the interaction. While in that position, she kept one hand on his cheek, the other grasping hold of the hand that gripped her arm and holding it gently within her own. "Sleep now," she whispered against his forehead.

"_Ziva_..." he mumbled feverishly again.  
"I am staying," she assured him, sitting down in the chair beside him. One hand remained on his cheek, gently trailing up and down his jawline. The other kept hold of his hand, which he still held tightly. "Sleep, Tony. Rest now."

"_Ziva_..." he whispered, his head settling on the pillow more comfortably. She could feel him relaxing, and kept up her soothing actions. She remained in that position until she felt him fall completely asleep, and then she raised his hand to her lips, kissing it gently. "Layla tov, neshomeleh," she spoke into the room.

Outside, Abby looked at the people around her. "What did she say to him?" she asked.

Gibbs kept his eyes on his two agents, knowing from the way that Ziva had calmed him so easily with phsyical contact and the sound of her voice that rule twelve was as good as broken, but he found himself pleased. Tony and Ziva spent too much of their lives avoiding getting close to the people around them because they were scared of losing them. That fear had lead them to this moment where, in the middle of the hospital, they realised that fear was not an excuse, and that you had to be prepared to live with fear to be with the people you cared about.

"She said 'goodnight, sweetheart'," Ducky finally translated.

_Don't you think it's time now to love yourself?_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Hi everyone - this is the final chapter. I know it's short for one of mine, but it was originally going to be a one-shot (until a wonderful shopping trip to Bristol, that is). I am planning a sequel, based in Last Man Standing. I don't think we saw enough of Ziva's injuries, so, being me, I'm going to exploit them for my personal use and make more tiva, because we all like tiva, don't we? The song in the last chapter is Clay Walker - Fall. Thank you so much to everyone who's reviewed, I love you all! **_

_Hold up, there you go again_

In the middle of the night, Ziva looked over at the heart monitor, which displayed the current time in the corner. 02.55am. She had been at Tony's side for twenty-nine hours. He had slept all the following day after she had finally come to him, and his fever had dropped that morning as they said it would. He wasn't trembling in his sleep anymore, either. For a long time she had held his hand, feeling his shakes transfer to her. She hadn't left his side. No one had questioned her staying because of the effort it had taken to get her there in the first place. Except Ducky, however, who had urged her to get some sleep. She'd pointed out that she had promised to be there when Tony woke up, and that by staying at his side she was resting her ankle as the doctor had instructed.

_Putting on that smile again,_

_Even though I know you've had a bad day_

Now, she was getting worried. He wasn't sedated, and the anaesthesia had worn off before she had first come to see him. Yet he wasn't awake. The doctors assured her it was because he was resting, and that any sleep he was getting was sleep he needed, but it still made her worry. If he needed this much sleep, surely he must need to catch up on sleep before this whole incident? She knew he wasn't always believable when it came to how much sleep he got, and that with their job there were many calls in the middle of the night, but she never knew of him having trouble sleeping. Should she have noticed it before? Her direction, as always was towards him. No matter what, she took no chances leaving him. She hadn't believed Abby at first when she said about him begging for her, but after standing in the dooray and seeing it for herself she didn't want to leave. She couldn't come back and see him struggling in the bed, calling her name feverishly. She couldn't see him in that condition again.

_Doing this and doing that_

_Always putting yourself last_

She cracked a small smile, knowing that he'd compare this to a number of movies; movies where the hero saved his girl and the day all in one go. She knew that deep down, he wanted to have the "I'm the hero, I got the girl, I got the job done, and I didn't mess up my hair in the process" life, but sometimes you did have to fight for the girl, and struggle with the job, and nearly always mess up the hair. One thing his movies wouldn't lie about, however, was that people only realised what was in their heart when something happened to take it away from them. She would much rather have taken that bullet herself than see him like this, so weak, so dependent, so unlike his usual self. But he'd pushed her out of the way so that he didn't have to see her in that condition. They were both as bad as each other.

_A whole lotta give and not enough take_

"Hey," she whispered quietly, in little more than a whisper. No one was around, and the duty nurse wouldn't be back to check the bandages around his chest for another hour. She felt strange, talking to somebody she wasn't sure could hear her, but she'd finally realised what she needed to say and she had to say it while there was no danger of getting slapped on the back of her head. "You have a lot of people worried," she told him, moving her hand from his cheek to his hair. "Abby, especially. She wants you to wake up. She is driving McGee crazy, I hear. She brought you flowers. Do not worry, they are not black roses. She brought you yellow ones. She told me they are the colour of friendship. She is a good friend. I...I would not be up here right now if it were not for her."

She sighed, running her fingers through his hair like a comb. "I did not want to see you like this. You are my partner. I do not like seeing my partner hurt and weak. I have lost many partners in my career, but Abby reminded me that you have also. In the end, it came down to losing more than a partner." She bit her lip for a moment, unable to believe how fast the past few days had changed her. "It is not just Abby you are worrying. I am worried also. I want you to wake up. I do not mind you quote movies for hours on end. I do not care if you throw things across the squad room. I do not mind you saying my name the way you do. I do not mind because..." she took a deep breath, releasing it slowly as she raised his hand to her face again. "...because I would miss it if you were not here. You sacrificed your life for me, Tony. I know you will say it is because you are my partner, but I would have been losing more than a partner if you had not survived. I would have been losing a friend...more than a friend..." she added in hindsight.

_But you can only be strong so long before you break_

She pressed his and further into her face, she remained there for a long while, trying to keep composed now that she was coming to some startling conclusions. Then, the hand in her grasp moved, turning the tables so that the hand was now cupping her cheek. "_Zi_..." She looked up at the sound of the nickname, one hand landing on Tony's wrist as she found herself looking directly into his eyes. His open eyes.

"Tony..." she whispered, a little smile on her face.

_So fall, go on and fall apart_

He smirked as best he could, given his condition. "Didn't know you cared so much, sweet cheeks," he replied weakly.

She laughed, despite herself. "You heard?"

"Every word," he confirmed, their eyes not leaving each other.

_Fall into these arms of mine_

She sighed, relief flooding through her now that he was awake, and clearly feeling more like himself. His voice was still fragile, probably from not being used. "Are you in any pain?" she asked.

He shook his head a little. "No...just...a bit fuzzy. Headache. Chest hurts a bit."

"I am not surprised," she said. Her hand returned to his hair, and she felt him relax under her touch. "You should sleep more."

"How long already?" he asked her.

_I'll catch you every time you fall_

"Almost thirty hours," she revealed.

He took hold of the hand she was combing through his hair, enlacing their fingers and placing it on his chest, on the unharmed side, right where his heart was. "Long enough," he told her, still sounding too weak for her liking. "Wanna talk to you."

She shook her head. "No, Tony, you need to rest, regain your strength..."

"Wanna talk, not run a marathon," he told her, trying to attempt his usual cheeky grin.

_Go on and lose it all_

She had to smile. "What do you wish to talk about?"

"What you said," he said simply. "You didn't wanna see me?"

"Not in the condition you were in," she admitted.

"Bad?" he questioned.

_Every doubt and every fear_

_Every worry, every tear_

_I'm right here, baby_

_Fall_

At this point, she realised how he was speaking. He must still feel week, becuase he was using the bare minimum of words. It sounded a lot like a tired child. But he still wanted to speak with her. She was torn between urging him to sleep some more, like he clearly needed to, and allowing him to speak because she had missed his voice over the past two days. She let him speak, however, because she didn't want to suffer his stubbornness while he was injured. "Bad," she nodded in confirmation.

"Still came," he noticed. "You're here."

"Thanks to Abby," she smiled lightly.

His face burrowed into the pillow for a moment, before he brought his eyes back to her. "You okay?" he asked her, with concern in his eyes now.

_Forget about the world tonight_

She looked at him incredulously. "Tony, you are lying in a hospital bed. You have had surgery, a dangerously high fever, and yet you are asking _me _if _I _am okay?"

"Yeah," he said simply. "You said you were hurt."

_All that's wrong and all that's right_

Her mind flashed back to the warehouse, where he had looked at her with such concern when she has said she was hurt, even though she had assured him it wasn't bad. "Sprained ankle," she told him. "I am fine."

"You wouldn't be if Abby hadn't told me DiNozzo was awake," Gibbs said, as he entered the room. They both looked over, but didn't move their entwined hands.

"Abby is still here?" Ziva questioned.

Gibbs nodded. "You haven't eaten since you got here, Ziva. Someone had to keep an eye on you. She called me down in the lobby." Gibbs leaned over Tony's other side. "You okay, DiNozzo?"

Tony nodded. "Yeah, boss."

Gibbs could see the weakness just as Ziva had done. He could also see the concern in Ziva's eyes as she looked at Tony, one set of entwined hands in front of her, the other placed on Tony's chest, fingers interlocked tightly. "Ziva, go and get something to eat and drink," Gibbs intructed her.

"I am fine," she repeated, not taking her eyes off of Tony.

"It wasn't a request," Gibbs told her. She looked at him. "You've brushed everyone off saying you wanted to be here when he woke up. He's awake now. Have five minutes to take care of yourself or you'll be no good to him."

"Gibbs-"

"Go," Tony interrupted quietly, rolling his head to the other side again so that he was looking at her. "Go eat, Zi," he told her gently. "M'okay."

_Lay your head on my shoulder_

_Let it fade away_

She looked at him for a moment, then at Gibbs, then back to Tony. She nodded, releasing his hands. "I will be back soon," she assured him. Then she disappared out of the room.

_And if you wanna let go_

_Baby, it's okay_

--

Once Ziva was gone, Gibbs turned to Tony. "Do we need to talk about rule twelve?" he asked, sitting at Tony's side.

Tony smirked. "Have to?"

"Are you breaking it?"

Tony tried to look innocent. "Not yet."

They were silent for a moment, and Gibbs nodded. "You gave us all a scare, DiNozzo."

Tony tried to smile, but failed. "Yeah, Zi said."

"Zi?" Gibbs questioned. "Since when did you two have nicknames for each other?"

"I don't. Just her," he explained. Gibbs stared him down, and Tony cracked under the pressure. "Care about her," he nodded.

"I know you do," Gibbs nodded. "That why you took a bullet for her?"

Now, it was Tony's turn to nod. "My partner. Got her six."

"The way you two looked when I got her says it's more than being partners," Gibbs pried. Tony sighed, burying his head into the pillow again. Gibbs stood, placing his hand on his agents shoulder. "Get some sleep, Tony," he said softly.

"No," Tony argued. "Gotta tell Zi."

"Tell her what?" he asked.

"Took a bullet for her," he said simply. "Gotta tell her why."

--

_Fall_

_Go on and fall apart_

Tony and Gibbs were silent until Ziva returned, exactly five minutes later. She assured Gibbs that she had eaten some toast from the cafeteria, and she had brought a coffee upstairs with her. She took up her position at Tony's side again, smiling a little when he instantly held out his hands and replaced their interlaced fingers back in the positions they had been in before. Gibbs told them he'd be back in the morning, and left the pair again. Tony awkwardly rolled onto his unharmed side so that he could see her better.

_Fall into these arms of mine_

"You should sleep, Tony," she urged him. He just shook his head. "I will still be here when you wake."

"Gotta tell you first," he told her quietly. "Gotta tell you why."

_I'll catch you every time you fall_

"Why what?" she asked with a frown.

"Took a bullet for you," he reminded her.

She sucked in her breath for a moment, remembering the image of him reaching out for her, weak and pained on the warehouse ground. "We are partners, Tony," she said simply.

"_More_," he replied.

_Go on and lose it all_

"You almost died, Tony," she pointed out, and she couldn't hide the desperation in her tone.

"Yeah," he acknowledged, not removing his eyes from hers.

"Because of me."

_Every doubt, every fear_

_Every worry, every tear_

This time, he shook his head. "Didn't want you to die."

She sighed, trying to figure out how his mind was working. She raised their hands, resting her head on them for a moment as she took some calming breaths. "Do you think me losing you would be any easier to bare?" she asked him.

_I'm right here_

_Baby, fall_

He was silent, and Ziva sighed again. However, she was surprised when he once again started removing, gritting his teeth in pain as he scooted across the bed away from her as much as he could. He tugged at her arms. "Up here," he coaxed her.

_Hold on_

_Hold on_

_Hold on to me..._

"Tony, you are _hurt_," she reminded him. "I cannot lay up there with you."

"Took a bullet for you," he repeated, this time with a smile. "Gotta repay me, right?"

She couldn't help but smile at his usual attitude. Somehow, she found herself in the hospital bed beside him, resting her head on his shoulder, making sure that she wasn't close to his injury. He put one arm around her as best he could, resting his head near her hair and inhaling deeply. He was relaxed again, she realised. She had to stay like this now, because it was relaxing him, and that was what the doctors wanted.

_Fall _

_Go on and fall apart_

_Fall into these arms of mine_

"Zi?" he whispered, a while later when she thought he was sleeping.

"Yes, Tony?" she whispered back.

"Falling in love," he murmered. "A while now."

_I'll catch you every time you fall_

_Go on and lose it all_

She was hesitant for a moment. "With me?"

_Every doubt, every fear_

_Every worry, every tear_

He just nodded against her, sighing into her hair. She smiled gently, placing a kiss at the base of his throat. "That's why I did it," he said quietly, just before he let sleep take him.

She felt the change in his breathing, and lay for a few moments before whispering her reply. "That's why I came back."

_I'm right here_

_Baby, fall_

**END**


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